Too Much Rain

The Weather Channel is calling it the Atlantic Assault. While that does seem a little over dramatic, there has been entirely too much rain here on Lazy Danes. Mixed with the winds, all my animals ( and me) are miserable. Goats do no like rain, so they stand in their house hollering for someone to turn it off. The chickens, turkeys and guineas look pitiful with their feathers wet and floppy. The rabbits are even damp where the wind has been blowing the rain into their shed sideways. Damp angoras are a sorry sight. The dogs are feeling cooped up, too since they refuse to go out for more than the necessary business even in the lightest mist. The fields have standing water, hopefully the oats won't drown before the sun comes out supposedly tomorrow.

This was taken last weekend before the monsoon. That light green tint is from the oats barely through the surface- the ones the fowl haven't gotten to yet.

In the kitchen I've been experimenting with new recipes for fall and winter crops. We've had sweet potato enchiladas, butternut squash and turkey chili, squash bread and a pumpkin pound cake. There have also been our favorites like pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin cookies and creamed sweet potatoes. Yum! Now that the cold weather is sneaking in, I've been making homemade

hot cocoa, the packets just don't compare!

It's getting close to Thanksgiving so our older turkeys are about to fulfill their destinies. It's sad, because I really enjoy having them on the farm, but I realize that I will be eating a turkey for Thanksgiving and I'm glad it will be one that has had a happy, healthy, natural life than one that has been kept in a tiny cell unable to move under it's own power with its beak cut off and wings clipped (not just the feathers) that gets shoved in the freezer at a Wal-Mart Super Center. Thank you turkeys.

One of the baby turkeys showing off.

We spent last weekend up in Sparta, NC at Joe Edward's Christmas Tree Farm and Blue Ridge Art Gallery (we love you Joe and Melia). I took more knitted stockings that will hopefully sell. We had our pictures made on the farm and they're sure to be wonderful. Thank you Julie (Uppercase Photography)! If anybody would like more information on the tree farm/gallery there is a link on the right. The tree farm has Frazier Firs and Colorado Blue Spruce in all

different sizes. It's a choose and cut operation so the trees are super fresh and last a long time.

The gallery has great Christmas presents many hand made by local artisans. There's even wine!

Chuck with Buddy, the tree farm mascot.